Breaking Bad Season 5 Thread

Hank is too good of a person to come away unscathed.

I think the ricin is for his former business partner as one last act of revenge.

 

JD, I'd say what sets Breaking Bad apart is two things:

1. It doesn't beat around the bush. Shows like Mad Men or The Sopranos would take 4 or 5 episodes to set up a major story arc. Breaking Bad usually jumps right into from the get-go and never really lets up. My chest was literally tight for the first 10 or 15 minutes of last night's episode.

2. It's the best acted show on television. Bryan Cranston's performance is among the four or five greatest on a TV drama in the last 20 years (if not all-time), right up there with James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Martin Sheen as Jed Bartlet, Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz and Ian McShane as Al Swearengen. But Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito, Dean Norris and Jonathan Banks have all turned in Emmy-worthy work for multiple seasons, even if they weren't always recognized. Even Anna Gunn --- as much of a c-word as some fans of the show might think her character is --- has been outstanding playing that character.

 

I'm a bit surprised that some didn't think Hank-Walt would square off so soon. First, it's been brewing since Hank opened up Leaves of Grass. The M.O. for this show is that it doesn't beat around the bush (as mentioned above). But factoring into the equation that there are only eight episodes to get this thing tied up, at least one of the "final" showdowns Walt has to have before it's over had to be done right away. Hank vs. Walt isn't finished but I figure Walt has a few more final showdowns to go including vs. Jesse, vs. his family (so to speak), and vs. the Declan gang and/or whoever represents Madrigal's interests. That's a lot of ground to cover so I fully expect it to be a sprint to the finish.

 

I agree. I thought when they cut to Jesse and his buddies hanging out that Hank was about to knock on the door.

 

Thanks, Steak, Mizzou.

 

I'm glad the show came back for a Season 5, but I would've been completely fulfilled if the show ended after Season 4. It displayed Walt being a monster. As fun as this circling of the drain is, that ending was all you REALLY needed to know to understand Walter White's fate. Season 5 has just been a victory lap for the show. A really great victory lap.

 

Wait until Walt tells Hank he'll not only put be putting him away, but his wife's sister as well. BTW - was it ever explained why Hank didn't have kids of his own?

 

I thought the same thing. Imagine if the series ended with Walt's last words to Skylar on the cell phone and the cut away to the plant behind his house. Perfect ending.
That being said, I really liked last night's episode.

 

I think Cranston's performance is the best of my lifetime. I don't think there's ever been a character on TV who has had that many layers.

 

Agree completely. If they had ended it after Season 4, it would have been perfection. But I certainly don't mind what I'm watching right now...

 

I don't think anyone would argue that. But I really liked the ending of season 5.1, really thought the suspense to it, while not on par to season 4, was about as solid of an ending to a TV season you can see. And then last night's episode just was full tilt from the start and the ending of that could compare to any great season-ender. If they do that this whole season, I can only imagine how well (in terms of entertainment) this is going to end.

 

Hank aged about 5 years on the shitter. That must've been one hell of a turd.